1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cutter, e.g., an annular cutter, for engagement with an arbor of a drill machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cutters, e.g., annular cutters, are known in the art for engagement with a drill machine for cutting holes in a workpiece. The drill machine includes a housing and a motor coupled to the housing. The arbor is coupled to the motor for rotation with the motor. The arbor defines a bore and the cutter is engaged to the arbor in the bore. A driving device is coupled to the arbor and extends into the bore for engaging the cutter. The driving device transmits rotation from the arbor to the cutter.
The driving device can be one of two types. Specifically, the driving device is either an extending member, e.g., a ball, extending into the bore of the arbor or a set screw threadedly extending through the arbor and into the bore.
When the driving device is the set screw, the cutter must define a flat such that the set screw can engage the flat. The set screw is rotated to threadedly advance and retreat the set screw into and out of the bore to engage and disengage the flat of the drill machine. It is known in the art to provide the cutter with a pair of flats arranged perpendicular to each other. The position of the pair of flats perpendicular to each other allows for stable engagement between the arbor and the cutter and allows for effective transmission of rotational motion from the arbor to the cutter.
When the driving device is the extending member, the cutter must define a retaining recess such that the extending member engages the cutter in the retaining recess. It is known in the art to provide a locking mechanism for moving the extending member radially within the bore. The locking mechanism moves the extending member radially outwardly to allow the cutter to be inserted into the bore and removed from the bore. The locking mechanism moves the extending member radially inwardly to engage the extending member with the retaining recess to lock the cutter in the bore so that the cutter can be operated.
There remains a need to provide a cutter that is interchangeable between arbors that include a pair of set screws and arbors that include the extending member. Specifically, there remains a need to provide a cutter that can be engaged with both the pair of set screws that extend perpendicularly to each other as well as the extending member.